Specialty outdoors retailer opens community-minded D.C. flagship

REI has opened its fifth flagship to date — and largest store on the East Coast — in an iconic building just blocks from the U.S. Capitol.



The 51,000-sq.-ft. store, in the NOMA neighborhood of Washington, D.C., is designed to offer members of the outdoor community a place where they can meet and plan adventures — and shop for outdoor gear curated specifically for the region. It includes such features as a coffee shop, outdoor courtyard with tables and a fire pit, and a classroom for educational events.



“The flagship's design represents a whole new approach to how REI thinks about the customer experience, presenting the co-op, our services and experience at their best," said Rebecca Smith, general manager of REI's DC flagship. (REI is the nation’s largest consumer co-op, and operates 148 stores in 36 states.)



The retailer worked closely with its partners Douglas Development, CallisonRTKL and Davis Construction to honor the history of the retail space through smart design and construction. The store is in the building that was formally known as the Washington Coliseum and Uline Arena, and opened in 1941. Among other events, it was the site of one of the earliest U.S. concerts by The Beatles, in 1964. Memorabilia related to the Beatles and other events that took place in the building is located throughout the store.



"CallisonRTKL has had a long relationship with REI developing their next generation retail concepts, including their flagship in SoHo," said Alex Shapleigh, CallisonRTKL VP and the lead designer on the project. "We are honored to have partnered with them on their newest flagship store in one of Washington, D.C.'s most storied buildings."



The distinct features of the store include:



• A 1,052-sq.-ft. La Colombe café;



• An Adventure Station, offered in partnership with the National Park Service and REI outdoor experts, where REI can connect with its members with advice on where to go and how to best enjoy the outdoors;



• An outdoor courtyard at the store's core where visitors can gather includes a fireplace and views of the building's historic structural concrete arches;



• Bike, ski and snowboard shop services that will cater to the District's cycling and snow sports assembly and repair needs.



• A community space with a robust schedule of free and low-cost, in-store classes for cycling, paddling, fitness, hiking and camping, climbing, snow sports, photography and wilderness medicine;



• A collection of gear shops that blends into a commons area that creates a communal shopping experience.



The new DC store is REI’s fifth flagship, joining locations in Seattle, Denver, Bloomington, Minnesota, and the SoHo area of New York City.